Keeping Up Appearances
by tinylexie
Summary: Regulus attends a party to raise money for an important cause. Once there, Regulus meets up with Lucius and Narcissa. Follow Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus through all the drama, lies, and gossip that only Purebloods are capable of.
1. Party Arrivals

**Author's Note****: This takes place during the winter holidays in 1971. Sirius is in his first year, but Regulus has not yet started Hogwarts. Also, Andromeda has already been disowned by her family, so she will not appear in this story.  
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><p>Regulus was excited to be visiting the Black Manor where his cousins Bellatrix and Narcissa lived, even though he wasn't that close to Bellatrix. He was, however, very close with Narcissa. They had always had more of a big sister and little brother relationship than a cousin relationship.<p>

And to make things even better, the Blacks were holding a big party at their manor on this particular night. All the Pureblood families had been invited, along with many important Ministry officials. Even the Minister of Magic herself was supposed to be in attendance.

The point of the party was to raise money for some important cause. Regulus didn't know what the cause was, but he would take any excuse to eat lots of food and to spend time with Narcissa.

And for a party this important, it was likely that Lucius would be in attendance as well. Regulus had always admired Lucius's aristocratic grace, and he considered Lucius one of the best models possible for proper Pureblood behavior.

* * *

><p>As they approached the gates leading to Black Manor, Regulus glanced over at his older brother, Sirius.<p>

Unlike Regulus, Sirius was not at all pleased about having to go to this party.

"I still don't see why I have to go," Sirius whined. "I don't want to go to this stupid party."

"Shush, Sirius," their mother scolded sternly. "We are here to raise money for an important cause, and I expect you to be on your best behavior for once."

Regulus wanted to ask what the importance cause was, but he knew that neither or his parents liked him or his brother speaking without permission. It was considered rude and improper.

"Like you actually care about the cause," Sirius told his mother mockingly.

Did Sirius know what the important cause was? Was Regulus the only one without a clue?

Regulus's thoughts were interrupted when Walburga Black slapped Sirius across his face. It wasn't as hard as she was capable of slapping (and it wasn't hard enough to leave much of a mark; they were, after all, on their way to a party), but it was still hard enough to make a loud sound.

And it was still enough to cause Regulus to wince in fright. At that moment, he really was glad that he was such a good little boy and that he rarely got into any trouble with his parents.

"Watch your mouth," Walburga snarled at Sirius.

"Yes, Mother," Sirius responded, his voice no longer showing any signs of its previous cockiness.

Sirius was even more humbled by the hard glare that his father gave him.

"You better not do anything to embarrass us tonight, boy," Orion Black hissed dangerously.

"I won't, Father," Sirius promised.

It was clear that Sirius no longer wanted to be the center-of-attention. At least not for the current moment.

The family continued to walk, in utter and complete silence.

Then, they finally reached the gates.

"State your names and purpose," the gates spoke.

"Orion, Walburga, Sirius, and Regulus Black," Orion said. "We are here for the party tonight."

The gates swung open. The four Blacks then walked down the pathway until they had reached the front door of the manor.

Orion knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened.

A house-elf stood in the doorway.

"Master Black, Mistress Black, and two young Master Blacks," the house-elf greeted, "welcome to Black Manor. Come in."

The house-elf then stood aside so that the four Blacks could enter.

As Regulus passed by, he grinned at the house-elf, who looked to be about as old as Kreacher.

The house-elf, who had been greeted before by Regulus's friendly grins on previous visits, gave the boy a deep bow.

"Why did you do that?" Sirius hissed at his younger brother, making sure to keep his voice low enough so that neither or their parents would hear.

"I like house-elves," Regulus answered simply. "They do such a wonderful job serving us. Smiling at them is the least that we can do."

"Whatever," Sirius replied, rolling his eyes. "_I_ would never bother with any of that. That house-elf is as unpleasant as Kreacher."

Regulus frowned. He had never understood his older brother's hatred of their loyal house-elf. Kreacher was old. Of course he couldn't be expected to be lively and cheerful all of the time.

* * *

><p>They stopped right outside the ballroom. Walburga turned to face her two sons, even though her eyes were focused fully on Sirius.<p>

"Remember, behave yourself," she reminded her oldest son harshly.

"I will, Mother," Sirius replied respectfully. However, as soon as his mother's back was turned, he rolled his eyes.

It never took Sirius long to recover his cocky, rebellious attitude.

And with that, the four Blacks finally entered the ballroom.


	2. Deceiving Appearances

There were so many people. The ballroom was completely packed.

Regulus found himself wishing that he was taller, so that he would be able to see more.

But as short as Regulus was, he still was able to easily spot the long platinum blond hair of Lucius Malfoy.

Even among Purebloods, Lucius stood out.

Regulus just wished that he would one day have even a quarter of Lucius's grand presence.

And Lucius wasn't alone. He was talking with Narcissa.

Regulus wanted to run over to his two friends, but he knew that he would get in trouble if he did something that improper. And he didn't want to get in trouble. He wanted to be a good boy. It was enough that his parents had to deal with Sirius's rebellious attitude. They didn't need another rebel on their hands.

Regulus gently grabbed his mother's hand. That was his way of telling her that he wanted her permission to say something.

"What is it, Regulus?" Walburga asked sweetly.

Sirius made silent gagging sounds behind his mother's back.

Regulus rolled his eyes at his older brother, but he made sure that their mother wouldn't see. As annoying and as mean as Sirius could be, he was still family, and Regulus didn't want to see him getting in trouble again.

"Would it be okay with you and Father if I went to go talk with Lucius and Narcissa?" Regulus asked.

"I don't think it would be fair to Lucius and Narcissa if they had to listen to your silly conversation topics all night long," Walburga replied, her voice still as sweet as honey. "They're nearly adults now."

Of course. In his mother's eyes, Regulus was still a baby. Therefore, he wasn't capable of any serious conversation.

Regulus knew that his mother didn't mean to hurt him with her words, but they still stung.

He would be going to Hogwarts very soon. He wasn't a silly little boy anymore.

Sirius snickered behind Walburga's back, even though he was careful to make sure that it wasn't loud enough for her to hear.

"Shut up, Sirius," Regulus snapped. Family or not, he could only take so much of his brother's cruelty.

Before Sirius could compose himself, Walburga spun around and saw clearly that he was laughing.

"Don't make fun of your brother, Sirius," Walburga snapped. "You're not old enough to leave our sides either."

It was now Regulus's turn to smirk. He did, however, resist the temptation to stick his tongue out at his older brother. Unlike Sirius, he wasn't that immature.

But Regulus's joy was only short-lived. His mother lecturing Sirius did nothing to change the fact that she considered her youngest son too silly to spend time with Lucius and Narcissa.

Regulus shot Lucius and Narcissa a look of longing, even though he doubted they saw it. They were clearly engaged in a deep conversation.

Regulus resisted the temptation to sigh. It looked like the night wasn't going to be that fun after all.

"Mr. and Mrs. Black, what a pleasure to see the both of you," a voice suddenly spoke respectfully.

It was Lucius.

And Narcissa was with him.

Narcissa also greeted Orion and Walburga with respect.

"I hope you two don't mind," Narcissa then said, "but we were wondering if it would be all right if we took Regulus from your hands for a little while. We promise that we won't let him out of our sight, not even for a moment. It's just that it's been a while since I've been able to see my cousin, and I'm looking forward to catching up with him."

Lucius and Narcissa must have seen Regulus's look of longing after all. Regulus could have kissed the both of them. He didn't, of course. That wouldn't have been proper.

"Of course, Narcissa," Orion said. "Don't give them any problems, Regulus."

"I won't, Father," Regulus promised, somehow managing to keep the excitement from his voice.

Narcissa took Regulus's hand.

As they were walking off, Regulus had to resist the temptation to not turn around and smirk at his older brother.

Regulus seriously doubted that any of the other Purebloods in attendance tonight liked Sirius enough to want to spend any time with him. Most likely, therefore, Sirius would be spending the entire night with their parents.

_That serves him right for trying to mock me,_ Regulus couldn't help thinking.

* * *

><p>"How have you been doing, Reggie?" Narcissa asked as she, Lucius, and Regulus made their way through the crowd.<p>

"Pretty good," Regulus answered. "I am hungry, though."

"I thought you would be," Lucius said in amusement.

Regulus then noticed that they were making their way towards a table filled with all types of food.

Regulus gave Lucius an appreciative grin.

Lucius chuckled and ruffled Regulus's hair fondly.

As soon as the three friends had finally made their way over to the table, they loaded their plates with food and they each grabbed a glass of Butterbeer.

* * *

><p>As he ate, Regulus looked around. There were a lot of Ministry officials in the room.<p>

There truly was an important feel to the room tonight.

"Um," Regulus said, "I know that this is a stupid question, but what is this party for? I know that we're here to raise money for some important cause, but I don't know what that cause is."

To Regulus's relief, neither Lucius nor Narcissa looked at him as if he was stupid. In fact, they didn't look too surprised by his question.

"We're raising money for orphanages," Lucius explained. "The War has taken away many children's parents."

"Oh, that's definitely a good and noble cause," Regulus responded. "It is good of us Purebloods to give back to society like that."

Lucius laughed unpleasantly. "Regulus," he said, "I seriously doubt that most of the Purebloods here know what we're raising money for. And out of everyone in this room, maybe one or two people at the most actually care about this 'good and noble cause.'"

"Then why is everyone here if they don't know what's going on?" Regulus frowned in confusion.

"It's about keeping up appearances," Lucius explained. "It makes us look good to the public if we donate money to wonderful causes that help out the less fortunate. It doesn't matter at all if we care about where our money is going to. All that matters is that we _appear_ to care."

It was at that moment that Regulus realized how sheltered he had been for his entire life. He had no idea that people could be this fake and this unfeeling.

But according to Lucius, this was normal behavior for Purebloods.

But there was no way that Regulus could act the same way.

"Well, _I_ care," he finally spoke.

Narcissa gave Regulus's hand a gentle squeeze.

* * *

><p>Lucius, meanwhile, looked around the room.<p>

"It looks like my father is getting an early start on maintaining his wonderful public image," he sneered.

Narcissa and Regulus looked in the same direction as Lucius was. They easily spotted Abraxas Malfoy, despite the fact that his hair was more white than blond. He just had that type of presence that couldn't be missed or ignored.

_Just like Lucius does,_ Regulus couldn't help thinking.

Regulus then noticed who Lucius's father was with. Eugenia Jenkins, the current Minister of Magic.

Abraxas was smiling pleasantly at Jenkins, as if he and the Minister were the best of friends.

"I didn't know your father was such good friends with the Minister," Regulus remarked.

Lucius made a sound that would have been a snort if it had been coming from someone else.

"My father hates the Minister," Lucius said. "He didn't like how she treated Purebloods during the Squib Rights marches. He felt like she was too much on the Squibs' side."

"I remember reading about that in the _Daily Prophet_," Regulus commented. "It didn't look like the Squibs were that successful in accomplishing their goals."

"No, they weren't," Lucius confirmed, "but that doesn't matter to my father. All that matters to him is that the Minister made some hassle for the Purebloods that rioted against the marches."

Regulus looked again at Lucius's father and the Minister. They really did look like they were best friends.

Appearances could truly be deceiving.

Regulus frowned. Even though Lucius had not spoken to him in a condescending tone of voice at any point, he still felt very stupid.

"My father is a wonderful actor," Lucius spoke suddenly, seeing the expression on Regulus's face. "He's able to fool most people. If he wasn't my father, he probably would be able to fool me as well."

Regulus could not imagine anyone being able to fool Lucius. Lucius was much too smart for that.

But Regulus didn't feel nearly as much of an idiot as he had just moments ago.

Regulus then noticed that the noise level in the room had decreased dramatically.

Almost everyone in the room were now looking at the Minister.

"Now we're going to see who is the most _generous_ of us all," Lucius drawled sarcastically.

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><p><span><strong>Author's Note<strong>**: According to Harry Potter Wiki, ****Eugenia Jenkins**** was the Minister of Magic from 1968 to 1975. The Squib Rights marches, which took place in 1968 or 1969, were an attempt by a huge group of Squibs to receive better treatment. Some Purebloods, however, rioted against these marches.  
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	3. The Art of Donating

**Author's Note****: I hope I'm not making Regulus sound too stupid, but he's still young and he has lived a very sheltered life. So, I think it's reasonable that he does not yet fully understand how Pureblood society operates. I hope, though, that he comes across more like a naïve young boy than an idiot.**

**Additional Author's Note****: I really hope this chapter isn't too boring; but I really am interested in Pureblood society, and I wanted to use this chapter as an excuse to show how I see Purebloods as operating when it comes to their business endeavors and to charity events like this one.**

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><p>"Are you actually trying to see which one of them can donate the most amount of money?" Regulus asked in disbelief.<p>

Both Lucius and Narcissa nodded at him. Neither of them looked surprised.

"Even among other Purebloods, there is no such thing as equals," Lucius explained. "Any self-respecting Pureblood wants to be better than everyone else, and that includes other Purebloods."

Regulus winced as his father offered an even higher amount than Narcissa's father had offered just a few moments ago. And the amount that Cygnus Black had offered had been high.

"We're going to run out of money if my father keeps going on like this," Regulus spoke in a worried voice. "Is his pride really worth us losing all our wealth?"

Narcissa patted Regulus's shoulder reassuringly. "I don't think any of us have to worry about being poor anytime soon," she said. "Both of our fathers are excellent businessmen. They know what they're doing."

"Business?" Regulus said in a confused voice. "What type of business do they do, Cissy? Do they have jobs? I don't remember my father ever being gone long enough for him to have a job."

"They don't have jobs," Lucius spoke up. "They have business associates which they trade some sort of product for money. My father, for instance, trades rare Potion ingredients that only he knows where to find. That's how Pureblood families like ours have been able to maintain their wealth for countless generations."

"And my father trades rare artifacts," Narcissa added. "I think that's what your father does as well, Reggie. I do know that both our fathers work closely together."

"But that's not stopping them from competing with each other," Regulus remarked as he listened to Narcissa's father offer an even higher amount of money than Orion Black had just offered.

"That's Purebloods for you," Lucius smirked. "No one wants to look poor."

"And it's made even worse by the fact that our fathers are more closely related to each other than they are to some of the other Purebloods," Narcissa added. "Family bonds just increase the level of pride even more than it already is naturally."

"Then how do things like this ever end?" Regulus asked desperately.

"Charity events such as these are always held in a Pureblood's house," Lucius explained. "It's an unspoken rule that other Purebloods eventually submit to the head of the household where the event is being held. This just goes on a while so that no one will look bad. Look, see, your father is done for the night, Regulus."

"But not your father, Lucius," Regulus returned. "It looks like he's still going strong."

"How typical of him," Lucius sneered.

"Indeed," Narcissa agreed with clear disdain in her voice.

"You two sound like you don't care much for Mr. Malfoy," Regulus commented. "He's eventually going to submit to Cissy's father, isn't he? You did mention that unspoken rule, Lucius."

"My father doesn't care for any of the rules," Lucius laughed unpleasantly. "That includes the unspoken ones as well."

"Well, at least the orphans will be happy," Regulus said.

"Don't tell me you actually care about the _poor_ orphans?" Lucius sneered. "I really don't see what they have to complain about. I honestly don't think that being an orphan is all that bad. I would be happy to be an orphan."

"How can you say something like that, Lucius?" Regulus asked in shock.

"You don't know my father, Regulus," Lucius replied. "If you're lucky, you never will. Oh, look, my father has just won. What a surprise."

Lucius said the last part mockingly.

He then turned to look at Narcissa. "I'm sorry for my father's lack of respect towards your father," he told her in a more subdued voice. He truly sounded apologetic.

"It's not your fault, Lucius," Narcissa responded. "You don't have to atone for anything that your father does. I know that you're not him."

Narcissa then glanced over at Abraxas Malfoy, who was now once again engaged in a deep conversation with the Minister.

"It looks like my father is going to be busy for a while," Lucius remarked, his voice definitely sounding pleased. "Would it be all right with you, Narcissa, if we go somewhere else for a while? I really need to get out of this room for a while."

"Of course," Narcissa returned, taking Regulus's hand.

"Are we going to go exploring, Cissy?" Regulus asked excitingly. He loved exploring Black Manor. It seemed like there was always something new to discover.

"Yes, we are," Narcissa smiled.

Then, with Narcissa leading the way, the three friends made their way out of the ballroom.


	4. Hide the Truth

Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus stopped in every room that they passed, so that Regulus could fully explore each of them.

Regulus was already familiar with several of the rooms as he visited often, but he still looked around each of them. It was highly possible, after all, that he had missed something fascinating the last time around.

Then, the three friends suddenly heard the sound of someone speaking.

The voice was coming from a nearby room.

"That sounds like Bella," Narcissa remarked. "I was wondering where she was. She only stayed in the ballroom long enough for Father to introduce her to the Minister. Then, she just disappeared."

"I hope you're not complaining about that," Lucius commented, "because you most definitely aren't going to hear any complaints from me."

Narcissa laughed in amusement. It was no secret that Lucius and Bellatrix didn't get along with each other. And as much as Narcissa loved her sister, she usually found herself taking Lucius's side in their arguments.

"I don't think I want to know what she's up to," Regulus said in a worried voice. He hated to admit it, but he was a little scared of Bellatrix.

"Well, unless we want to go back the way we came," Narcissa spoke, "we're going to have to pass by the room that she's in."

"I really don't feel like going back," Lucius said. "We don't have to stop and talk with her," he told Regulus, seeing the horrified expression on the boy's face.

"All right, let's walk by her then," Regulus said in a low voice.

The three friends made their way out of the room they were currently in. They then began to walk down the hallway. They neared the room Bellatrix's voice was coming from.

The door was open, and a quick glance inside showed that Bellatrix was not alone.

"Wow, she's got quite the crowd with her," Regulus remarked, his earlier fear replaced by childlike curiosity. "I wonder what she's talking to them about."

It quickly became clear that Bellatrix was in the middle of some great speech.

"The Dark Lord is the answer," she declared. "He is the one who will destroy all the Muggles and the Mudbloods. He is the one who will lead us Purebloods into a better future, a future where we will rule supreme, as we were always meant to. If we join with the Dark Lord, we won't have to live alongside the unworthy any longer. Only those of us that have been chosen will exist."

Regulus listened in fascination. His parents were always talking about how wonderful and how noble the Dark Lord was.

Regulus hoped to one day join the Dark Lord's noble cause. Regulus wanted to help create a better world for Purebloods like himself. He knew that would make his parents so proud.

"What is that foolish woman thinking?" Lucius snarled, interrupting Regulus's thoughts. "The Minister of Magic is here tonight, along with some Aurors."

Lucius then made his way into the room and towards Bellatrix. He pushed people out of his way without losing a single step.

"What is Lucius doing?" Regulus asked Narcissa in a worried voice. "He's not going to try to tell Bella what to do, is he? No one tells Bella what to do."

"Don't worry about Lucius," Narcissa told Regulus in a reassuring voice. "He knows how to take care of himself, even against Bella."

"Well, hello, Lucius," Bellatrix said in a false cheerful voice. "It's such a pleasure to see you tonight."

"You idiotic woman," Lucius hissed into Bellatrix's ear, "what if the Minister was to walk in here? What if an _Auror_ was to walk in here? You can't just go around talking about the Dark Lord where anyone can hear."

"The Dark Lord is always looking for new recruits," Bellatrix replied in a low voice so that only Lucius would be able to hear her. "I am just trying to be loyal and helpful to him."

"How much help will you be to him if you get sent to Azkaban?" Lucius snapped. "You can't do anything useful from there, Bellatrix. There are proper times for promoting the Dark Lord. Now is not one of those times."

"Fine, fine," Bellatrix growled, "I'll stop."

Bellatrix forced a smile onto her face as she turned to address the gathered crowd. "Lucius here has told me that we need to stop for tonight," she said. "Apparently he's worried about the Aurors."

A few of people in the room dared to chuckle at Bellatrix's mocking words.

"That's right, laugh," Lucius sneered. "I'm sure the dementors will be laughing as well when they have all your souls to feed on."

All the laughter immediately faded away, and everyone automatically turned serious. Everyone in the room knew all about dementors, and none of them wanted to be at the mercy of those dark creatures.

"Let's all leave this room now," Lucius then spoke, "before someone passes by and wonders why we're all doing in here instead of being down in the ballroom."

No one needed to be told twice. In a matter of moments, the room had emptied of everyone but Lucius and Bellatrix. Narcissa and Regulus were still standing right outside the doorway.

"Thanks a lot, Lucius," Bellatrix hissed angrily.

"You're welcome," Lucius smiled mockingly. "Please forgive me for trying to save your life."

Bellatrix looked like she wanted to pull out her wand and hex Lucius.

For his part, Lucius just smirked at her.

"I'll leave you to wallow in your misery," Lucius then said. "I have more important things to do tonight then to comfort you."

"I don't need _you _to comfort me," Bellatrix snarled.

"Good," Lucius replied. "Because I really didn't feel like comforting you anyways."

Lucius then turned and left the room.

Both Narcissa and Regulus gave Bellatrix a slight nod of acknowledgement before they left their spots to catch up with Lucius.

"I can't believe Lucius actually did that," Regulus whispered to Narcissa in awe. "I can't believe he actually got away with telling Bella what to do. He really isn't afraid of anything. I wish I could be as brave as him."

Regulus then looked at Lucius's back with an expression of hero-worship on his face.

"That's Lucius for you," Narcissa smiled, looking fondly at the blond-haired wizard's back. "He never backs down from a challenge."


	5. Gossip Exchange

Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus were walking down a hallway when they suddenly heard the sound of three women voices coming their way.

Lucius and Narcissa began to look around. The closest room was too far for them to reach in time.

"What are you two looking for?" Regulus asked. It was almost as if his two friends didn't want to be seen by the approaching women.

"For a good place to hide," Narcissa answered. "Three Pureblood women together in a hallway they think to be deserted can only mean one thing. Gossip."

"Oh, no, I don't want to listen to any gossip," Regulus responded, making a disgusted face. "I hate gossip. It's so stupid."

"Gossip is often a good source of information," Lucius returned, "even though I will admit you also get a lot of useless information along with it."

"Let's hide in that corner," Narcissa suggested. "It's dark and out the way, and you can use your Disillusionment Charm on all three of us, Lucius. Mine is not yet as good as yours."

Lucius nodded his head. The three friends then made their way into the corner that Narcissa had suggested. Lucius pulled out his wand and quickly cast the Disillusionment Charm on all three of them.

A few moments later, three women walked into sight.

"I really feel sorry for poor Walburga," the woman on the right spoke. "That Sirius is nothing but a source of shame. Did you two see how he was yawning while the Minister was speaking and thanking us all for our generous contributions?"

"I saw him very clearly," the woman in the middle said. "And he didn't try to cover up his mouth or anything. That one truly has no manners or proper discipline. I can't help but wonder where Walburga went so wrong with him."

"Now, now, Clarice," the woman on the left spoke up, "that's not fair to Walburga. There's just no hope for some children, no matter how hard we try. Look at Regulus. That one has all the makings of a fine, well-bred Pureblood. Sirius is just a bad seed."

Regulus's fist tightened slightly. As much as he was at odds with his older brother, Sirius was still family. And Regulus really did love Sirius. Well, he did most of the time.

"Indeed," Clarice said. "He's going to end up being just like Andromeda."

"You know better than to mention her name, Clarice," the woman on the right hissed. "She no longer exists in our world. She might as well be dead."

"She's a true disgrace to the Black name," the woman on the left added.

"The Blacks have been having quite a few disgraces lately," Clarice sneered. "I really worry for their future."

It was now time for Narcissa's fists to tighten. She also had to struggle to keep her mouth closed.

Lucius was struggling as well not to say anything as his body tensed up. Purebloods were overwhelmingly proud, and it was an unspoken rule among them that an insult to one family member was an insult to the entire family. Narcissa's name may not have yet been mentioned personally, but by bringing up Andromeda, the three women had insulted Narcissa as well.

"I talked with Bellatrix earlier tonight," the woman on the right commented. "I wanted to know when she thought she would be expecting her first child, and she looked at me as if I was crazy. She then told me that she has more important things that she wants to do with her life than to have babies."

"What could be more important for a proper Pureblood woman than to have babies and to continue the family line?" the woman on the left asked. "With each generation, there's less and less of us."

"There are too many Blood-Traitors among us," Clarice said with disgust in her voice. "For some reason, they think it's wonderful to marry Mudbloods and Muggles."

All three women visibly shuddered.

"Well," the woman on the left then said, "at least that Narcissa seems to be right-minded. I have never heard a bad thing about her, and it will do the Blacks a lot of good when she finally marries that Lucius Malfoy. There's not a single disgrace in his family."

"Oh, you're wrong about that, Megan," Clarice remarked. "Surely you've heard about what happened to Lucius's mother."

Lucius really stiffened at this statement. Narcissa quickly placed a gentle hand on his arm. Regulus just looked at them in confusion.

"I just know that she's apparently not around," Megan said.

"That's because she's dead," Clarice responded. "She died in childbirth."

"Oh, my," Megan gasped. "I was not expecting to hear that. Abraxas must have been so disappointed when he found out that he had gotten paired up with such a weak woman."

"We can only hope that Lucius doesn't take after her," Clarice stated.

Narcissa looked at Lucius worryingly. She truly expected him to draw his wand and to send a curse Clarice's way.

To his credit, though, Lucius just gritted his teeth but otherwise had no other visible reaction.

Regulus, meanwhile, looked at Lucius sympathetically. Lucius didn't look at him at all.

"I don't think we have to worry about that," the woman on the right offered. "From what I've seen of Lucius, he takes after his father."

Lucius gritted his teeth even more at this statement.

"So true, Emily," Megan replied. "Abraxas always speaks so highly of his son."

"Ha," Lucius muttered under his breath.

"I still can't believe that his mother actually died in childbirth, though," Emily remarked. Hopefully for him, Narcissa won't be as weak."

Narcissa had to grab Lucius's arm to keep him from reaching for his wand.

"Don't," Narcissa whispered. "They're not worth it."

Lucius glared angrily at Narcissa, but he didn't try to go again for his wand.

Regulus, meanwhile, just looked at the three women in disbelief as they walked by. He had always thought as gossip as being silly. He had never thought that gossip could actually be this cruel and hurtful.

He had truly seen the many ugly realities of Purebloods this night.


	6. Vengeful Gossip

"The nerve of those women," Narcissa hissed angrily as soon as she, Lucius, and Regulus were once again alone in the hallway. "They act like they're so perfect. They're no better than us. And they dare to insult my family in our house."

Narcissa then turned to look at Lucius. "Oh, Lucius," she said in a much gentler voice, "I'm so sorry about what they said about your mother. They went too far."

Lucius waved his hand dismissively.

"I didn't know your mother died in childbirth," Regulus remarked in a soft voice. "I've often wondered where your mother was at, but I didn't want to be rude by asking. I'm sorry about what happened to her, Lucius."

"Just forget it, both of you," Lucius snarled. "I don't want to talk about my mother. She's dead, end of story."

Lucius's face softened as he looked at Narcissa. "They went too far with what they said about you, Narcissa. They know nothing about you. You're not weak, and you never should have had to hear anyone say that about you, especially in your own house."

Narcissa gave Lucius an appreciative smile. She then said, "They would not have been so bold if my father or mother had been around."

"And they would not have mentioned my mother if my father had been here," Lucius added.

"And I suppose they would not have said anything about Sirius if my father or mother had been nearby," Regulus reasoned. "Is this what gossip really means? Is gossip nothing more than saying hurtful things about people when they're not around to hear it?"

"Gossip is always the perfect time to be a coward," Narcissa smiled grimly. "And yes, what you just heard is normal. It's all about making sure that you look better than everyone else."

"Well, I know a thing or two about those women that they wouldn't want people gossiping about," Lucius remarked.

Regulus looked at Lucius with an interested, eager expression on his face.

"Oh, no, I'm not going to be like them," Lucius smiled unpleasantly. "I'm not going to say anything about them where they can't hear it. That wouldn't be fair to them."

Lucius then turned and began to walk in the direction the three women had went.

"Is he really going to go gossip right in front of them?" Regulus asked Narcissa in disbelief.

"It looks like it," Narcissa smiled happily. "Come, Reggie. This is something I want to hear."

Narcissa and Regulus quickly caught up with Lucius. It didn't take them long before they had caught up with the three women as well.

"Good evening, ladies," Lucius greeted pleasantly.

The three women stopped in their tracks. They then turned around to face Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus.

"Lucius," the three women returned. They then greeted Narcissa and Regulus, who both responded back with perfect politeness.

"I hope you three ladies are having a good time and enjoying your visit to my parents' manor," Narcissa added.

Lucius gave her a grin, which she returned.

"Oh, yes, we have been," Clarice responded. "Thank you for your kind words, Narcissa. You are truly a source of pride for your parents."

"I'm glad to hear that," Narcissa returned, smiling widely.

"Yes, Narcissa is everything a proper Pureblood woman ought to be," Lucius agreed. "And I just know that she will do me proud as well. It is a shame, though, that not everyone has as much reason as I do to feel such pride in someone else."

"What are you talking about, Lucius?" Megan asked, the eagerness in her voice painfully clear.

"Why, Mrs. Shine," Lucius told her with perfect respectfulness, "I'm talking about you of course. I know that your son has been making things difficult for you lately."

The smile, which had been on Megan's face a moment ago, was now completely gone.

Clarice and Emily, meanwhile, were looking at Megan in shock. They then looked at each other and smiled unpleasantly. It was clear that they now had someone else to gossip about.

"I've seen how much he is struggling in his classes at Hogwarts," Lucius continued nonchalantly. "He is in my year, after all. But Charms and Transfiguration are truly nightmares for him, even though his mishaps do amuse everyone else. But not me, of course. My father has raised me much better than that. Perhaps I can be of some help to him. That is, of course, if that's okay with you and your husband."

"We would be most grateful for any assistance that you could provide for our son," Megan smiled with difficulty. "Thank you for your generosity, Lucius."

"No problem at all," Lucius smiled sweetly. "After all, we can't have any Mudblood putting in a better showing than any of us Purebloods. That just wouldn't be right."

"No, it wouldn't," Megan agreed in a tight voice.

"Well, that makes me even more glad that _my_ children are performing as brilliantly as they are," Emily remarked proudly.

"It is a shame then that they can't stay out of trouble," Lucius commented. "I've lost track of how many detentions they've had so far this year. If they keep on at it, there grades aren't going to matter much. No one wants to get in business with someone who doesn't know how to be discreet. People can get into serious trouble when there is a lack of discreetness."

Clarice gaped at Emily.

"My children aren't that bad," Emily snapped at Clarice. "The detentions have just been for very minor things, nothing that's worth noting."

"It truly is a dark time for us Purebloods," Clarice sighed in mock concern, clearly enjoying herself. "I didn't realize there were so many scandals amongst us. I appreciate you pointing them out to me, Lucius. I like to be well-informed. And speaking of being well-informed, I believe it is your birthday today. I hope you're having a good birthday, Lucius."

Clarice smiled pleasantly at Lucius.

Narcissa and Regulus, meanwhile, both looked at Lucius in concern.

Lucius, however, just smiled, even though Narcissa swore she saw him stiffen ever so slightly. It didn't appear, though, that anyone else had noticed Lucius's slight reaction to Clarice's taunt. Perhaps Narcissa had just imagined it.

"I'm having a very good birthday, Mrs. Barrett," Lucius said, his voice still as polite as ever. "My father brought me many wonderful presents, and he still had more than enough left over to donate the most money tonight. But I appreciate your inquiry."

The triumphant smile had faded from Clarice's face. "Yes," she managed to say, "your father was very generous tonight."

"Why was your husband not as generous?" Lucius asked. "As early as he stopped offering money, one would think that he was struggling financially, which, of course, would be quite disgraceful. No self-respecting Pureblood wants to end up like the Weasleys. Or perhaps your husband simply doesn't care at all about the poor orphans. We have all been very fortunate to have been born into money. The least we can do is to give back to those that haven't been as lucky in life as we have. Don't you agree, Mrs. Barrett?"

"Yes, of course I do," Clarice said through gritted teeth. "I'm going to have a long talk with my husband later on. We should donate more. Thank you for showing me this, Lucius."

"Don't bother with your husband," Lucius drawled lazily. "After all, he's not nearly as successful as Mr. Triggs."

"I don't know what you're getting at, Lucius," Clarice replied. "I don't associate with Mr. Triggs."

"Of course not," Lucius agreed. "He is a Half-Blood."

Both Megan and Emily looked at Clarice with clear eagerness.

"If that's the case," Lucius went on, "then it really is a shame that Mr. Triggs has more business sense than your husband. That doesn't make us Purebloods look good. No wonder you didn't want your husband being the father of your children. If that had been the case, they could have possibly inherited your husband's lack of vision. Not like Mr. Triggs. From what I've heard, he has lots of vision. But you already knew that, didn't you, Mrs. Barrett?"

Megan and Emily gaped in Clarice in clear delight.

"Enjoy the rest of your night, ladies," Lucius said, bowing at them respectfully. "I must catch up with my father. He told me earlier that he still has one more special present for me. Come, Narcissa. Come, Regulus."

Lucius, Narcissa, and Regulus pushed their way past the three women.

"You and Mr. Triggs," Megan explained in disbelief. "I can't believe you would sink that low, Clarice. Honestly, a Half-Blood. He might as well be a Mudblood."

"Well, at least my children are the top of their year," Clarice snarled at Megan. "And they're not getting into any trouble either," Clarice then hissed at Emily before the other woman could open up her mouth.

"That was brilliant, Lucius," Regulus said in awe. "You handled that better than I would have. And you didn't even need to use your wand to make your point."

The pleased expression that had been on Lucius's face quickly faded away. "Narcissa was right to stop me earlier from doing exactly that. I should have known better. I've been taught better than that. Emotions are a weakness."

Lucius then turned to Narcissa. "Thank you, Narcissa," he said, "for keeping me from making a huge mistake."

Narcissa just nodded her head.

"We should return to the ballroom," Lucius then spoke. "Our parents are probably wondering where we're at by now."

"Well, that depends on how much trouble Sirius has gotten into tonight," Regulus grinned.

"And it also depends on whether or not Bella has decided to start a riot," Narcissa added.

"And I suppose it also depends on whether or not my father has yet successfully placed himself on the Minister's Christmas list," Lucius offered.

The three friends could not help but laugh.


End file.
